MD-80 Drag-Reducing Kit Wins FAA Approval

A drag-reducing upgrade kit developed for Boeing MD-80 operators has received supplemental type certification from the FAA.

Developed by Long Beach, Calif.-based engineering company Super98, the first part of the kit is initially designed to reduce fuel burn by 2.5% or more, with a further 1% benefit available from a more extensive upgrade. Fuel savings were verified in flight tests of an instrumented MD-83 in late 2010 and early 2011.

Fuel savings from the Phase 1 kit are estimated at more than $236,000 per aircraft per year based on a $3/gallon oil price, says Super98. The Phase 1 kit is divided into two sub-kits, the first of which includes flap hinge fairings forward and aft, aileron and elevator tab hinge covers, wing-body sealing and wing trailing edge seals. The second sub-kit includes flap segment seals, a windshield fairing, rudder lower gap seal, aileron edge seal, a main landing gear door skid, refaired tail skid and a horizontal stabilizer tip seal.

The additional modifications that will deliver a further 1% drag reduction require more time to install than overnight maintenance stops. They include slat lower trailing edge seals, slat segment gap seals and spoiler trailing edge extensions.

Super98 expects to have the first kits installed around year-end and the first customer for the full package to be on contract in the first quarter of 2012. Overall, more than 700 MD-80s remain in service.

MD-80 Phase I Configuration

In the first quarter of 2011 Super98 successfully completed the Phase I flight test program, validating a fuel burn reduction of more than 3.5%.

The configuration reduces parasitic drag in the areas around the nose, fuselage, wing, main landing gear, rudder, and elevator of the airframe.

Flap Hinge Fairings

Aileron Modifications

Elevator Modifications

Wing-body sealing

Low Drag Slats

Low Drag Spoilers

Wing trailing edge Improvements

Flap Modifications

Center Windshield Modifications

Rudder Modifications

Main Landing Gear Doors Modifications

Re-faired tail skid

Horizontal Stabilizer Modifications

Flight testing for the Phase I package was completed in 1st Qtr 2011.

MD-80 Phase II Configuration 

The Phase II Drag Reduction Configuration  yields a 4% reduction in fuel 

Rudder Gap Reduction Seals

Aileron Lower Gap Seals

Vertical Stabilizer Tip

Fairing Wing Tip Treatment

Slat Lower Trailing Edge Seals

CG Management System

Wing Trailing Edge Treatment

The Phase II Kit is available in two subkits. Subkit 1, consisting of fairings, covers and seals is available in 2012. Subkit 2, consisting of system changes is scheduled to be available in 2013.